Methods for folding carton step and repeat

For folding carton design,once its size is determined, the size of cardboard used in printing with a certain size, if the carton size is much smaller than the maximum printing area of the printing paper, causing the time, ergonomics, mechanical as well as waste paper waste. Therefore, step and repeat the folding carton in order to meet the press maximum and reasonable printing area to save time, improve efficiency and reduce waste.

1. Methods for folding carton step and repeat

1.1 Determine the cardboard size

Factors affecting the printing cardboard size such as printing equipment, printed materials, printed volume, post printing, carton box size and so on. It should be flexible and responsive with specific circumstances

1.1.1 Printing equipment: printing equipment in the printing factory determines the range of printing paperboard, so choose which printing device for printing, the range of cardboard also determined.

1.1.2 Printing volume: When there's a large number of printing, try to step and repeat large or reversed version to improve printing efficiency.

1.1.3 Post printing: Fully understand the requirements of the printed product process for post printing, such as hot stamping, UV coating, laminating, die indentation, etc., to make printing, slitting to meet finishing requirements.

1.1.4 Carton box size: Pay as much as possible attention on the appropriate paperboard range in order to save costs during step and repeat.

1.2 Calculate the actual printing area

During the printing process, paperboard transferred by mechanical grabs, this part of the area known as the gripper or seams which can not be printed. In this case we need to calculate the actual printing area for folding carton step and repeat.

1.3 Determine the folding carton orientation

For different folding carton, it is different for its main direction of the crease line is perpendicular or parallel to the cardboard paper grain direction. Inappropriate choice of orientation on the carton may affect the carton strength, box wall prone to warping, glue, place instability, folding line defects, cause the operation of automatic packaging production line and packaging appearance.

1.4 Step and repeat

Principle of step and repeat: step and repeat the folding carton compactly as much as possible to save cost.

2. Computer step and repeat

Computer step and repeat is to use software make the small pieces of folding carton in one cardboard. Its role in printing isto determine the most reasonable way of printing with the correct cardboard size, it also can conserve materials and to shorten the printing time. Traditional manual step and repeat has high requirements on the operator, the operator needs to know the printing paper size, bleeding, cutting size and cutting the bit line registration gauge line and color control strip parameters. The main advantages computer step and repeat are: 1) simplify the process, improve the degree of automation, instead of the more manual operation, reducing the requirements for operator. 2) Shorten the production time and preparation time. 3) Reduce the waste of raw materials. Reduce set up and preparation time, reduced material waste, time adjustment to reduce the cost of production. 4) Improve the reliability and consistency of the product, it can ensure consistent processing of product quality at different times and regions, to improve the stability of the print quality. 5)Improve product quality, reduce errors. There is no error because the imposition completed before the film, and effectively improve product quality.

With advances in technology to accelerate the replacement of software innovation, the step and repeat software products is also increasing. Packmage CAD is one of the carton packaging design software with highly effective step and repeat features. It offers manual, automatic, single, multiple carton step and repeat solution with the information such as carton box die line, folding line length, box area, paper utilization etc. to help save printing cost and improve efficiency.